


coin toss (bell toll)

by taiyakeo



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: HQ Rarepair Bang 2020, LOVE. AKANE., M/M, New Years, So sue me, also this was written for the, and for the beautiful amazing art, and im spreading the love akane agenda, anyway new years fic, for helping me throughout, hooray good fortune!, hooray shrine, im getting my kotatsu, like? amen, she is so baby, special big big big thanks to makki, this is an excuse to write about kotatsu but, which has been so so so fun to take part in
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-06
Updated: 2020-04-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:20:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23509807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taiyakeo/pseuds/taiyakeo
Summary: The past year has really sucked for Fukunaga, but at least he's spending New Years' with Taketora. Maybe he is kind of lucky, after all.
Relationships: Fukunaga Shouhei/Yamamoto Taketora
Comments: 9
Kudos: 83
Collections: HQ Rarepair Bang 2020





	coin toss (bell toll)

**Author's Note:**

> the links for makki's BEAUTIFUL GORGEOUS art are here: [twitter,](https://twitter.com/mariuex/status/1247105271953948673?s=21) [instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/B-oszwWnajP/?igshid=1d5ogxcoq6exm) and [tumblr!](https://mariuex.tumblr.com/post/614642036319059968/my-piece-for-the-hqrarepairbang-this-is-based)
> 
> hngggah fukutora are so adorable;; you can find makki on [tumblr](https://mariuex.tumblr.com/) [twitter](https://twitter.com/mariuex?lang=en) and [instagram!](https://www.instagram.com/mariuex/?hl=en)

Cool sunlight washed through the gaps in the wood above their heads, rinsing the water and tinging the exposed stone in a pretty orangey-red colour as the sun began to sink back contentedly into the mountains. There were people still entering through the sides of the first _torii;_ Fukunaga could see them through the trees if he turned and squinted very, very hard. The branches wavered in the wind, branches trembling in the cold. There were people standing around, and people walking, and all around there was the noise of gravel crunching.

He picked up a ladle, scooping some of the clear water up. It trickled down his left hand, then his right, as he tilted the ladle as neatly as he could. He shivered; no matter the temperature, water on his bare skin was always unpleasant to feel. Yamamoto seemed to be thinking the same thing, making a face and sticking out his tongue as quickly as he could so as not to be too disrespectful. He cupped his left hand and poured some water into it, gently taking it in his mouth and spitting it at his feet after swirling it for a moment. 

"I forgot to spit it out once," Taketora murmured beside him from the side of his mouth as they walked away. "It just went down like a shot. I couldn't stop it. You can't imagine the face my mom made."

Fukunaga's eyebrows (and the skin where more eyebrow usually was in other people) raised and the slightest of smiles pulled at his lips. 

Akane nudged Taketora at the hip with her elbow. "It was stupid of you."

He made an offended noise and slapped a hand to his chest just as they passed the _komainu,_ eaten partially by moss, postured as though to roll back their shoulders and leap. "You're--stupider--" 

"That's not a word." 

"Shut up, Akane," he grumbled, shoving his hands into his coat pockets. Fukunaga glanced at them and huffed a small laugh. 

When they came to the _haiden,_ Yamamoto wrinkled his nose and made another face. "I can't ever think of anything good to wish for. It's like, the whole year, I'm thinkin'--Man, I want this, I want that, but when I actually have to want something I'm just, like, blank, you know?" 

Fukunaga nodded. He understood that feeling entirely, and it prompted him to think--

What did he want? Standing there, in the middle of the crowd (which was beginning, actually, to feel warm, especially with his coat on, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Taketora and head-to-shoulder with Akane), breathing clouds of mist into the air, he didn't know. What was he hoping for? Nekoma's success… Good health? But that was all achievable on his own, and it was probably expected of him to wish for something beyond his own power. What did he want that he couldn't get by himself? He stuck his tongue into his cheek. For Akane to score well on her exams? Good results on his own tests? Well, he could always say fortune and prosperity, but wasn't that terribly cliche? Did gods think people's wishes were cliche? Was there a priority list of wishes going from what was cliche to what was? Did it determine what gods granted? 

He blinked and shook his head to clear his mind; his thoughts were going wildly off-track. 

"I think… I'm gonna wish for--"

"No, you can't tell him!" Akane jumped up and slapped her hand as best as she could over Taketora's mouth. Evidently, she struggled, being considerably shorter than her older brother, but somehow she managed. "You have to keep your wishes to yourself or they won't come true." 

Taketora rolled his eyes and made a sort of "can't be helped" gesture, patting Fukunaga on the back. "You wish first, then."

Fukunaga frowned a little. He hadn't expected to have to have to think of a wish so quickly, but if he absolutely had to…

_I wish for happiness,_ Fukunaga thought as he picked up the box in front of him, turned it upside down and gave it a little shake. Cliche or not, as wishes went it was relatively safe and no cruel trickster god would ever be able to twist it in a way that didn’t favour him. A small stick fell out, and he unrolled the paper. _Dai-kichi,_ it read. 

"What'd you get?" Taketora's eyes were large with curiosity, almost like a cat's, and Fukunaga couldn't help the laugh that he coughed out into his hand. 

He inclined his head towards Taketora and gestured. _You tell me yours first._

"Aw, man. you're cruel." He picked up the box himself and gave it a shake with a little more violence than what was considered acceptable, flipping it upside down. He plucked out a roll of paper and read his. "Oh, dude. I don't believe this. _Dai-kyo._ Aagh, stupid fortune. I'm going to die this year, I guess."

Akane plucked out hers, waving it around. " _Sho-kichi!_ "

Fukunaga widened his eyes dramatically and placed his hand above Akane's head, miming _small._ Then he pointed to the paper. _Small fortune for a small kid._

"I'm not _that_ small," Akane said, but she was laughing. "It's just because you're older. You'll see, one day I'll be taller than you." 

He shrugged and cocked his head to the side towards the line of stalls lined up near the haiden. He really did want to see the day that she would be taller than him. At the rate that she'd been growing, it seemed slightly feasible. At the very least there were insoles, and then there were high heels, but he could never picture her in them. It would be funny to see her trying to balance in them. There were times that he felt exactly like a second older brother to her. He wanted to see her grow up well, and he wanted her to be happy. He wanted her to enjoy life. 

"Ah, wait," he said softly, pleasant thoughts interrupted as he thought of something else, wandering off to a small stall that had been set up to the side of the path and returning with a small hamaya in his hands. The walk warmed him up a little, and he shimmied off his coat before his clothes got all sweaty, rolling it up to hold it in his arms. He presented the little souvenir he'd bought with the money he'd brought, holding it out gently in his hands (He didn't want the wind to blow it away) for Taketora and Akane to examine. 

Taketora frowned, picking it up to peer at it. " _Hamaya._ To destroy evil spirits?" 

_Kuroo-san,_ Fukunaga mouthed, putting his hands up to his head to mimic the monstrosity above Kuroo's head. 

Akane giggled and reached for the arrow. "If we put one up at home, my brother won't be able to enter. I think I'll stick it in the doorway when he's at school. Then I'll finally have peace and quiet. I'll be free, for once." She rubbed her hands together, grinning, and dodged the smack he aimed at her shoulder. 

"You're a little demon," Taketora said, expression so sulky and childish that Fukunaga couldn't help laughing. 

He liked their dynamic--No, their atmosphere? He couldn't think of a word for it, but there was something comfortable about being with them. He liked how easy it was to laugh around them. They didn't expect him to talk or anything, but they found his puns funny, and it felt a little bit like he was family. It felt like he belonged.

"There's nothing left to do," Akane said moodily when they stopped and the silence crept back between them. "We walked through the whole thing already." 

"I guess we'll go back then. We should hurry or we'll be back tomorrow." Taketora shrugged and tilted his head towards his watch. 

They kept standing there in silence, and for some reason they weren't budging, breathing in the cold air, and Fukunaga thought for a moment that Taketora might have been staring at him. It was comfortable being quiet. He didn't want to leave. 

\--  
Fukunaga could barely breathe wedged between the crowd on the way home. Akane had been lucky enough to grab a seat, but both the boys were forced to stand. It was no matter--Taketora said that they were healthy anyway and it was better to stand and let older people sit. They would have had to stand anyway, and it wasn't good to sit and be sedentary when there was a chance to exercise their leg muscles. If that was a thing on trains, anyway. There were less people in the train than there had been in the shrine, but the train was so much smaller that it felt deceptively more crowded. He was sweaty, and sticky, and he wished he didn't have his coat in his arms. It was warm from his body heat and he was too lazy to hold it any longer, but he had to.

"Seven more stops," Taketora murmured, as if Fukunaga hadn't already been staring at the train map. 

Seven stops was far and felt even longer than it had to be when he was squished right up against a salaryman's sweaty, sweaty back. He hoped it would go by quicker, and found himself looking at Taketora instead. He wished he could talk, say something, but no words came. 

"It's not going to be pleasant going to school after this. Never is after a day of so much fun. Y'know? Like, all you can think about is that one time and you're pissed you gotta be in school when you wanna be doing it again. It hurts, kinda. Like in your chest."

He nodded.

"Man… Only thing I look forward to is club. I can't believe we're gonna graduate this year. Can you imagine? I don't feel ready. I'm gonna flunk all my tests this year. You know last year I got a thirteen percent on Chemistry?" 

Flunking all his tests--that was a bit… Extreme, wasn't it? And thirteen percent… Ah. Actually, maybe flunking all his tests wasn't so much of a stretch. 

_Try harder,_ he tried to mime, pumping his fists while attempting not to punch or elbow the people standing next to them, which was a lot harder than he thought it would have been.

Taketora shrugged and looked off to the side, as though he'd run out of things to say. It was funny to be with him on the train. People stared at him a lot, and it was amusing to see the complete confusion in their eyes when they first saw his hair. The double-takes… Sometimes he thought his ribs might crack with the effort not to burst out laughing. Sometimes they looked intimidated, and Fukunaga did have to admit that Taketora looked a little like a delinquent with the bright yellow hair, since stereotypical delinquents in media tended to bleach their hair, but in his opinion it was a little silly. He'd grown used to it, somehow, and it made him laugh to think how people could be scared by it--In Kenma's words, the "half-burnt corn field monstrosity". It was an absolutely ridiculous haircut and he had no idea why he kept it, but he was somewhat fond of it, strangely. 

"Look," Taketora said, suddenly, nudging him. "Akane." 

She was nodding off, head sliding where it was on the window, hands folded in her lap where her coat was bunched up. Fukunaga smiled. She'd been so filled with energy at the shrine. Maybe she'd worn herself out. 

"She's asleep," Taketora said, once again stating the obvious. His expression was oddly fond. 

Fukunaga hummed a noncommittal noise, thinking how nice it would be if Taketora showed that kind of soft, happy expression more often. 

\--

The walk back to the Yamamotos' house was short, and Fukunaga had to put his coat back on. It was awfully chilly, so much so that Akane had magically gained back her energy, putting her hands round her and shaking herself all about to keep warm. 

"I hate winter," Taketora said from between his chattering teeth. 

We'll miss it when it's gone, Fukunaga thought but did not voice. In summer people wished for winter, and in winter they wished for summer. That was human nature, though, to wish for something they couldn't have. 

People cycled past in coats and beanies. 

"Take your mittens," Taketora said, shoving them at Akane. 

"Awww," she said, but didn't complain anymore when she had them on, shoulders sagging in relief from being able to feel her hands again. Fukunaga ruffled her hair. She was a good kid. 

Fukunaga thought suddenly about them dying--about missing things he didn't wish for before. Would he miss Taketora when he was dead? Or would he die first? Who would be sadder?

He shook his head, and they both gave him strange looks. 

He would make sure he wouldn't regret anything. He would never stop being happy with what he had. 

He took their hands, smiling,-- _I'm fine_ \--and everybody forgot the expression that had come over Fukunaga's face. 

\--

Taketora's house was warm. Fukunaga was almost sorry to take off his coat after being out in the cold street (sweaty though it was) as he hung it up on the pegs. Taketora simply tossed his onto the couch as he would have rubbish into the trash can, though Akane, who was slightly more civilised, folded hers before putting it beside her older brother's. 

"I'm going to go wash my hands," Taketora called, walking through the hallway, to Akane's loud protests--("I was going to go! Stop hogging the warm water! You're so stupid!") 

Fukunaga shook his head and washed his own hands in the other bathroom, then slid under the kotatsu with his knees up, careful not to burn himself. The blankets were comfortably warm, and he felt almost like falling asleep right there. 

"You look sleepy," Taketora said, sitting down beside him. Again, Captain Obvious. CEO of Pointing Out Useless Things. "Tired?" 

Fukunaga shook his head no. 

"I'm not tired, either," Akane said suddenly from behind them, hanging around her brother's neck and leaning forward so far that Fukunaga was almost afraid that she would faceplant into the table. "Let's play card games. Or a board game. What--"

"No. Go to bed." 

Akane made a face from where she was on her tiptoes, already reaching for the shelf of board games. She made a pleading noise, clasping her hands together and bouncing on her feet.

"But I'm not tired, and it's New Years'. Please? It's sooo special. You can't make me go to sleep. Not tonight. You'll have to be so cruel to do that to poor Akane-chan." 

Taketora only gave her a stern face (which Fukunaga had to try very hard not to laugh at--it wasn't a very good attempt and ended up making him look more like he was very badly constipated) and she huffed, defeated, running off into her bedroom. 

Taketora sighed and leaned forward, stretching his legs out beneath the _kotatsu_ as far as he could. It was difficult for his height, and he ended up in a position not unlike a cooked shrimp, all curled up.

"It's hard," he said. "You know, when our parents are away. Thanks for keeping us company today. Akane wouldn't usually listen to me when I tell her to go to bed, but… I guess she went cause you're here. You're like--I don't know, another big brother to her? Except she actually respects you."

Fukunaga shrugged. _It's fun being with you. You don't have to thank me for anything._

Taketora leaned forward so his head was on the table. "It's quiet, this--night? Morning? I dunno, man. I feel like we're in a forbidden period of time. Like it's no time at all. Anyway, like, our neighbours are always loud now. I guess they're out on a shrine trip. It's super peaceful when they're not here. They're always moving their tables and chairs around for whatever reason. Sometimes we hear banging on the wall, or, like… I dunno. At least they don't have a dog. They play loud music sometimes at night, though, which is a gigantic asshole move, and Akane can't sleep, so we had to get her earplugs. They didn't end up working, so we asked them to stop and they didn't, so sometimes she comes to my room when she can't sleep cause you can't hear it much in there…"

Fukunaga nodded as Taketora kept chatting, shimmying deeper into the kotatsu. He could feel Taketora's leg against his, but he didn't protest, so he didn't move away. All was silent now. 

"Thanks again, man." Taketora's voice was lower, quieter, now, and Fukunaga was surprised at the sincerity of it. 

He shook his head and reached out for Taketora's head, patting his hair softly. Taketora only sighed and tilted his head to let him stroke his head, choosing not to say anything. 

"New Year, huh?" 

The words were sudden, unprovoked, but Fukunaga realised he'd totally forgotten, somehow, that it was a new year. How could he have? It just hit him. New year--that meant a harder syllabus at school, and more commitment when it came to their club, and more new things to experience. Sad and happy times. He'd be graduating… He was glad that he'd spent the first few minutes of the new year with Taketora. 

"I don't know how I got _dai-kyo,_ " he murmured. "I feel so lucky." 

"It's my luck," Fukunaga said, which elicited a surprised blink. "Spreading to you. We share it." He paused, thinking of Kuroo again, strangely, because this was not a Thinking About Kuroo moment. "Covalent… bonding…"

Taketora huffed a laugh, reaching for Fukunaga's hand. "Strong forces of attraction, huh?" he mumbled. "Hmm… Thanks for giving me your luck. That makes me happy."

"Thank you," Fukunaga said quietly, and Taketora leaned over to let him rest his head on his shoulder. 

They fell asleep like that, and Fukunaga was content. His wish had been granted sooner than he'd expected.


End file.
